Between the four of us we have written at least 17 biographies. It might be more than that. I was losing count because Randy Roberts has written so many. Youve written more than half of our total number i think. So we have a lot of experience in the genre. We have obviously been drawn to it and have an affinity for it some way or another. Before we begin, let me introduce the panelists, and as i introduce each of you, if you could just stand a minute or two, telling the audience what was it that you used for your biography. What is it you love about the genre. First we have larry, from New York University of arts and a musical writing program. He is particularly interested in the history of broadway and comedy. He has written a play with Richard Rogers in addition to several other books. His most recent biographical word is the documentary film semi davis junior, i gotta be me. Larry, tell us what has drawn you to this. I may be a little different from the rest of the panel my venue is
Test. Test. Test. Test. Test. Test. Yes. And the presidency of Washington College . Which i think are actually the five happiest years of his life. I think when he goes to lexington first of all, he leaves behind all of the virginia that he had once known and which, really now for him is dead. And he goes to the valley where the social milue is more Stonewall Jackson than robert e. Lee. But there for the first time in his life, hes got a free hand to do what he wants to do. Its not like being superintendent of west point, where the chief of the corps of engineers was always looking over his shoulder. He is free to be the kind of person he wants to be, and he is extraordinarily successful as a college president. Hes a very Progressive College president. Hes getting rid of all the old curricula. Hes bringing in studies in journalism, in engineering, in law. Hes doing the kinds of things in the valley that Charles Norton elliott is doing at harvard. Hes cutting edge in terms of ped goejy.
Our group and then we will get started. 22 ago, there is a switch. Thank you. There is a switch on the mics. In a journal of American History article, john butler challenged historians of modern america to Pay Attention to religion. In particular, he noted religions continuing importance in 20th century american politics deserves sustained attention and analysis. Scholarship in american religious history has proliferated over the past 15 years. In political history, religion has retained a jackinthebox quality, colorful, surprising, anomalous, idiosyncratic, but left on the periphery to pop up occasionally rather than systematically. Today, our roundtable will inress how religion matters american political history and we will do so in three ways. First, i blast each of our panelists to focus on a way in which religion matters, in their own research, how religion plays that they arees working on, but also how centering religion gives us a different narrative, different story than if it
War era Study Program and did graduate work in university of pennsylvania where he focused on the history of religion. He holds a master of divinity degree. His roster of publications is so long im not going to try to read them all to you. You can go to his website to get a full accounting of not only his publications but oerjt sail ient elements of other saileint elements of hig biography. Im going to offer five books i think is pertinent. The first is called Abraham Lincoln published by william b in 1998 and the first of allen lincolns prizes. Lincolns emancipation pags proclamation end of slavery in america. Publish in 2004 brought his second lincoln prize. Lincoln and douglas the debates that define america. 2008. Some reason didnt win the lincoln prize. Faithful lightening new history of the civil war and reconstruction came out from Oxford University press in 2012 and the 5th title i will mention is is gettiesburg the last invasion published in 2013 which brought a third lincoln
Conference called remaking american political history. Welcome. Thank you for attending our session on this beautiful friday afternoon. I will have to compete with the outdoors. And hopefully will convince you that you have made the right choice hanging out with us to talk about media and biographies in political history. Between the four of us we have written at least 17 biographies, it might be more than that, i was losing count because Randy Roberts had written so many, more than half of our total number. We have a lot of experience in this genre, we have been drawn to it and have an affinity for it in some way or another. Let me introduce the panelists. As i introduce each of you, if you could spend a minute or two telling the audience, what was it that drew you to biography . What is it that you love about the genre . First we have larry, professor in the graduate acting program in the New York University of the arts with an affiliate in the graduate musical theater writing progra